INDIANOLA IMMIGRANTS

The Victoria Regional History Center at the
Victoria College/University of Houston library has updated
the Indianola Database. The database is searchable and is a wonderful research tool.
To access this information or to submit information on your immigrant, go to
Indianola Database.
You may browse the database and also add a new immigrant. To return to this page, use the
"back button" on your computer.

HISTORY

The port of Indianola was founded in August 1846 by Sam Addsion White
and William M. Cook. During the period between 1844 and 1886 , Indianola
grew from a plague-infested immigrant camp to a cosmopolitan port city.
Two major hurricanes dealt serious and fatal results and after the
second one in August 1886, the survivors left the port and moved inland
and Indianola became a ghost town.

The birth of Indianola was the direct result of calamitous difficulties
encountered by early immigrants from Germany who were brought to the
shores of the Republic of Texas. Since there were fewer
rivers to cross going west, Indianola proved to be a favored point of
landing for the Germans who were headed for the Texas "Hill Country".
It was also favored by the US government sending supplies to its forts
in West Texas, New Mexico and Arizona and adventurers headed overland to
the West.
Most historical accounts relate that there were thousands of people who
immigrated through this port but there were NEVER any official passenger
lists for the Port of Indianola.

Since 1820 the immigration laws stated that the ship's manifest
(passenger lists) were turned over to the port officials at the port
where the ship FIRST made port. For the immigrants coming to Indianola,
this was usually New Orleans or Galveston. It could even have been a
port on the East coast, such as New York. The passengers were then
placed on smaller vessels to complete the final stage of their long
journey.

Here are three books dealing with Indianola if you might be interested in
learning more about the history of this ill-fated port and prosperous
city.

1. Indianola Scrapbook, reprinted with an index, compiled by Leonard Joe
McCown, published by the Calhoun County Historical Commission. The
Jenkins Publishing Company, San Felipe Press, Austin, TX, 1974
[originally compiled and published by The Victoria Advocate, Victoria,
TX. 1936.

3. New Braunfels: The First Founders by Everett Anthony Fey, published
By Eakin Press, PO Drawer 90159, Austin, TX 78709-0159 1994 ISBN
0-89015-987-4
This publication represents research on the lives of the 240 First
Founders and their families who came in the very first wave of
immigration who founded New Braunfels, Texas.

Patsy Hand, the "Indianola Lady", busy working on the Indianola Database.

Wilhelm SCHULTE Self & Children for visits, medicine, and their support, etc.

66.62½

Christian WEISHEIT for visits & medicine

14.31¼

Mararetha E. VOLKMAR Dec'd. & children for visits & med.

48.37½

Christoph KNOLLE for visits & medicines

19.00

Thedor Fritz PETER for visits & medicines

5.50

Widow of John Philip GERMAN

2.00

Nicholas RODEN for visit & medicine

1.62½

Carl VALENTINE for visit & medicine

3.12½

Christoph KOLLER & Johann BICKELMEYER for
visits & medicines

21.25

George SCHIWITZ for visits & medicines

7.75

Michael KRIES or KRAIES visits & medicines

22.97½

Peter ZABEL for visits & medicine

12.62½

Adam Val. GROSS & servant for visits & medicine

20.50

Christian GEFFERS for medicine

1.37½

KORUS or KURUS for visits & medicine

8.87½

John BOEGGER visit & medicines

1.87½

Valentine HOHMANN for visits & medicines

36.56¼

Francis & Amen STERLER for visits & med.

$33.12½

Jacob SCHIWITZ for visits & medicine

12.62½

Heirs of Antonio FABER for visits & medicine

15.31¼

Heirs of David KENSING for visits & medicine

32.00

"John George MENZ for visits & medicine

53.60

John Adam MORIL for visits & medicine

5.50

Mauritz VON OSTERHAUSEN for visits & medicine

19.25

John Theodore PRICE for visits & medicine

2.75

Henry LESAKA for medicine

1.25

Johann KREISLE Widow & heirs for visits & med.

19.46¼

Michael SONDERGELD for medicine

3.37¼

Valentine MULLER for visits & medicine

12.31¼

Family of John JATH for visits & medicine

10.00

Wm. WAGNER & family for visits & medicine

39.25

John Casper SCHELLER for visits & medicine

3.25

Peter KNAPP for for visits & medicine

20.12½

Philip Joseph FREI for visit & medicine

4.00

Johann SCHIBEL for visits & medicine

9.25

Anton LENTZ for visits & medicine (S7.93-3/4)

7.93

John BARGOFF for medicine

.75

Wm. GEFFERS for visits & medicine

46.02½

Wm. WEDEMEYER for visits & medicine

14.72½

Christoph HORNBERG for visits & medicine

21.75

August SCHULTZ & Gossleit KAULFERS for visits & med.

10.12½

Susanna M. BEK for visit & medicine

5.00

Wm. WALSCHMIDT & family for visits & medicine

10.62½

George HAPGEN or HOPGEN for visits & medicine

17.87½

George Andreas STRAUS for medicine

6.25

Henry HORNBERG for medicine

4.37½

Christian LUTTERBROT for visits & medicine

13.20

V. KERNER for visits & medicine

19.70

Estate of Frederich SCHAPER for visits & medicine

25.37½

German at E. SCHNEIDER's was supposed to be
T. MILLER for visits & medicine

24.37½

Frank SCHNEIDER for visits & medicine

3.75

Sundry persons called for aid after my book was
posted to the amount of

16.12½

Subtotal

$1,014.64½

To cash paid Interpreter $ 42.00

To cash rightly due Interpreter $ 70.00

Total

$1,126.64½

Committee Room
Feb. 1, 1871

Hon. Ira H. EVANS
Speaker, House of Representatives
Austin, Texas

Sir,

Your Committee on Claims & Accounts to whom was referred
"Petition of F. B. WEBB, for special relief" ask leave to report that they have carefully examined the same, and recommend that it be laid on the table.

In the year 1846, I was living in the family of Dr. F. B. WEBB. A number of German colonists who had left Indianola, Texas, on account of sickness came to Victoria in Victoria County and called on me to aid them in getting medicine from Dr. Webb. Stating that other Doctors refused to do for them, wherefore Dr. Webb told me to tell them not to die without medicine but to call at his office and get it, and as I spoke German and English, I interpreted for both, and in a few days he was employed by a Mr. MILLER, German Agent at Indianola, for the German Immigration Colonization Company, to practice and furnish medicine for any of the Colonists that might call on him for medical aid; which they were to demonstrate by the exhibition of their collonial book; And as they could get no other person to interpret for him, I had to do so towards which he paid me six dollars per month out of his own funds on which business I was closely engaged for seven months or more expecting to receive an additional. sum from the Company but have never rec'd. anything from the said company. I also assisted in keeping and marking up the accounts and I know he paid great attention and gave general
satisfaction and took many to his own house and fed and nursed them without charge as far as I know much of which labor I had to perform he also had a hired black woman and she and myself carried suitable food for the sick to many outsiders some of whom were nearly supported by his aid.
(signed) Anna Willmen

The State of Texas
County of Victoria
Before me W. J. NEELY, Clerk of the County
of Victoria and State aforesaid personally came Anna WILLMEN to me known and who signed the above in my presence and upon oath declared the facts set
forth in the above affidavit and statement were true and that she signed them as such.

Witness to my hand and Seal of office this 20 day of May
A.D. 1870.......W.J. NEELY, Clerk, C.C.V.C